Eze 20:1, God refuses to be consulted by the elders of Israel; Eze 20:4, He shews the story of their rebellions in Egypt, Eze 20:10. in the wilderness, Eze 20:27. and in the land; Eze 20:33, He promises to gather them by the Gospel; Eze 20:45, Under the name of a forest he shews the destruction of Jerusalem.

that I: The predictions of the dispersion of Israel, delivered by Moses just before his death, are evidently here referred to: they received a partial accomplishment at the Babylonian captivity, but are more exactly fulfilling at this day. Lev 26:33; Deu 28:64-68, Deu 32:26, Deu 32:27; Psa 106:27; Jer 15:4

I gave: The simple meaning of this place is, that when the Israelites had rebelled against God, despised his statutes, and polluted his sabbaths, in effect cast him off, and given themselves up wholly to their idols, then He, in a just judgment for their disobedience, abandoned them, "gave them up to a reprobate mind," (Rom 1:28), and suffered them to walk after the idolatrous, cruel, and impious customs and ordinances of the heathen; by which they were ripened for the destruction which he intended to bring upon them, that they might learn to know God by his judgments, seeing they had despised his mercies. In the same sense God is said judicially to "send a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie," to those who "received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Eze 20:26, Eze 20:39, Eze 14:9-11; Deu 4:27, Deu 4:28, Deu 28:36; Psa 81:12; Isa 66:4; Rom 1:21-28; Th2 2:9-11

Doth: Is it not his usual custom to deal in enigmas? His figures are not to be understood; we should not trouble ourselves with them. God therefore commands the prophet to declare, in the next chapter, the same things in the plainest terms, so that they should not complain of his parables. Mat 13:13, Mat 13:14; Joh 16:25; Act 17:18